Regioregular organometallic polymers with titanacyclopentadiene units, obtained from terminal diynes and a low-valent titanium complex, were subjected to reactions with disulfur dichloride and selenium (I) chloride to give π-conjugated polymers with thiophene and selenophene units in the main chain in 63% and 86% yields. Their number-average molecular weights were estimated ...

The rational assembly of quantum dots (QDs) in a geometrically well-defined fashion opens up the possibility of accessing the full potential of the material and allows new functions of the assembled QDs to be achieved. In this work, well-confined two-dimensional (2D) and 3D carbon quantum dot (CQD) honeycomb structures have ...

Background  Experiential websites such as message forums and blogs allow Prostate Cancer (PCa) patients to communicate their health decisions to peers. The issues surrounding this form of indirect involvement in public health are little understood. Objective  This paper explores the types of decision-making processes that people are exposed to on ...

A detailed study on the scope of the efficient PtCl(2)-catalyzed synthesis of carbazoles from 1-(indol-2-yl)-2,3-allenols is described. Through isotopic labeling experiments, it is confirmed that the reaction proceeds through a unique metal carbene intermediate, which undergoes subsequent highly selective 1,2-hydrogen migration to afford carbazoles. The reaction shows wide scope and ...

Formation and decomposition of the enzyme-substrate (ES) complex during phosphorylation by T4 polynucleotide kinase (T4 PNK) of dsDNAs were monitored using a highly sensitive quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) to determine kinetic parameters, which were characterised in comparison with those of other enzymes such as DNA polymerase and exo- and endo-nucleases.

The computation of intermolecular interaction energies via commonly used density functionals is hindered by their inaccurate inclusion of medium and long range dispersion interactions. Practical computation of inter- and intra-macrobiomolecule interaction energies, in particular, requires a fairly accurate yet not overly expensive methodology. It is also desirable to compute intermolecular ...

For preventing the scar contracture of host tissue and adjusting the tensile strength of covering cell sheets, a controlled collagen crosslinking step process in the preparation of skin-fibroblast sheets for repairing wound was investigated by using β-aminopropionitrile (BAPN), a collagen crosslinking inhibitor, in the culture medium. Skin fibroblasts obtained from ...

The objective of the study is to explore the characteristics of emotional stimulus in adolescents with violent behavior and to identify the correlated dysfunctional regions of the brain. An event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging was obtained while the participants passively viewed pictures with neutral or negative affective valence. 15 male ...

Focal therapy for prostate cancer has been increasingly utilized with the goal of effective disease control while maximizing patient functional outcomes. The optimal patient selection criteria are not known and therefore are not standardized. This review compares the available expert panel consensus guidelines with the selection criteria utilized in recently ...

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a powerful tool for in vivo imaging investigations of human brain function. It provides non-invasive quantification of brain metabolism, receptor binding of various neurotransmitter systems, and alterations in regional blood flow. The use of PET in a clinical setting is still limited due to the ...

BACKGROUND: Frameless stereotactic biopsies are replacing frame-based stereotaxy as a diagnostic approach to brain lesions. In order to avoid a sampling bias or negative histology, multiple specimens are often taken. This in turn increases the risk of hemorrhagic complications. OBJECTIVE: We present the use of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-induced protoporphyrin IX ...

We measured antimullerian hormone (AMH), a marker of ovarian reserve, in women with lupus treated with cyclophosphamide (CYC) (group I), CYC plus gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) (group II) or neither (group III). We hypothesized that AMH would be diminished in women exposed to CYC versus women receiving adjunctive GnRH-a treatment ...

Hair follicles repeatedly cycle through growth (anagen), regression (catagen), and resting (telogen) phases. Although the signaling molecules involved in the anagen and anagen-catagen transition have been studied extensively, the signaling that controls telogen is only partly understood. Here we show that fibroblast growth factor (Fgf)18 is expressed in a hair ...

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of unilateral muscle fatigue induced on the hip flexors/extensors or the ankle plantar/dorsiflexors on unipedal postural stability under different visual conditions. Twenty-four healthy young women completed 2 testing sessions 1 week apart with a randomized order assigned according to the muscles ...

Risk reduction following an HIV diagnosis is important for controlling the epidemic. The objective of this retrospective cohort study of 6,965 HIV-positive males was to evaluate the joint risk of new reportable STDs in males after HIV diagnosis by race/ethnicity and risk behavior. This investigation linked HIV case reports with ...

Managed environments in the form of well watered and water stressed trials were performed to study the genetic basis of grain yield and stay green in sorghum with the objective of validating previously detected QTL. As variations in phenology and plant height may influence QTL detection for the target traits, ...

A divergence in the supply and consumption of oxygen in brain tissue initiates complex cycle of biochemical and molecular events resulting in neuronal death. To overcome such adverse situation, the tissue has to adopt some cellular mechanisms such as induction of various transcription factors, such as hypoxia inducible factor (HIF). ...

The application of macromolecules in therapy is frequently hindered by stability and/or permeation issues. These limitations have been addressed by the pharmaceutical industry through the development of suitable noninjectable drug carriers. In this context, nanoparticles have emerged as one of the most exciting tools due to the increased surface-to-volume ratio, ...

Several medicinally important compounds that bind to dsDNA strands via intercalation (C-1311, C-1305, EtBr), major groove binding (Hoechst 33258) and covalent binding (cis-Pt) were examined. The obtained results suggest that both the transfer of conformation B to C and the denaturation process, for the ligand-dsDNA complexes, except for covalently bound ...

Detailed understanding of the underlying mechanisms of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) remains challenging for different experimental conditions. We report on an excitation wavelength dependent SERS of 4-aminothiophenol molecules on gold nanorings. SERS and normal Raman spectra, combined with well-characterized surface morphology, optical spectroscopy and electromagnetic (EM) field simulations of ...

We examined single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across the tumour necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 11B (TNFRSF11B) gene and knee OA. We identified alleles in a VNTR region in intron 3 that was observed exclusively in women OA cases (P = 0.007, Pc = 0.042). Our results reveal that a previously unreported association between a VNTR ...

Although coffee has antioxidant capacity, it is not known which of its bioactive compounds is responsible for it, nor has it been analyzed in experimental cerebral infarction. We studied the effect one of its compounds, 3-caffeoylquinic acid (3-CQA), at doses of 4, 25 and 100 μg on plasma antioxidant capacity and ...

The abundance and community composition of culturable bacteria in four snow cores along the 1300 km traverse from Zhongshan Station to Dome A, East Antarctica, were investigated through the combination of liquid and solid media and small subunit 16S rRNA sequences. Under aerobic cultivation conditions, the average concentrations of bacterial colonies ...

In order to improve the dissolution and absorption of the water insoluble drug repaglinide, a solid dispersion was developed by solvent method using polyvinylpyrrolidone K30 (PVP K30) as the hydrophilic carrier for the first time. Studies indicated that both solubility and the dissolution rate of repaglinide were significantly increased in ...

OPINION STATEMENT: The standard front-line treatment of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) remains Rituximab combined with multi-agent cytotoxic chemotherapy. In spite of high response rates to this therapy, relapsed/refractory disease is observed in up to 40% of patients. It is our opinion that additional chemoimmunotherapy, followed by high-dose therapy with ...

Obtaining ecotoxicological data on pesticides in tropical regions is imperative for performing more realistic risk analysis, and avoidance tests have been proposed as a useful, fast and cost-effective tool. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the avoidance behavior of Eisenia andrei to a formulated product, Vertimec(®) 18 EC (a.i ...

A proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) which stimulates the cell proliferation is abundantly expressed in colorectal cancer (CRC) tumors. In this report, the promoter region of the APRIL gene was determined and the major transcription factor was investigated for the first time. Deletion analysis of 5'-flanking region of the human APRIL gene ...

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are components of nuclear multiprotein complexes that deacetylate histones and perform important roles in repression of transcription. Using specific rabbit mAbs, we analyzed by immunohistochemistry and confocal immunofluorescence analysis the expression and subcellular localization of HDAC1-4 and HDAC9 in sections of adult human third molars. HDAC2 and ...

Context  The paper refers to the increased competition between health care providers and the need for patient-centred services in Greece. Using service quality methodology, this paper investigates service quality perceptions of patients in Greek public primary health centres. Objective  To test the internal consistency and applicability of SERVQUAL in primary ...

PURPOSE: To determine the efficacy and maternal complication rates of induction of labor, and to identify a concrete point in time for induction with the lowest possible risk for adverse events. METHODS: We designed a retrospective data analysis of all births at the general hospital of Vienna from 2003 to ...

The relationship between surgical timing and hip fracture mortality is unknown in the context of developing countries where large delays to surgery are common. We observed that delay from fracture to hospital admission is associated with decreased survival after a hip fracture. INTRODUCTION: To examine the relationship between the time ...

Carney complex is a rare disease inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. It is mostly caused by inactivating mutations of the subunit of protein kinase A. Carney complex is associated with atrial myxoma, nevi or myxomas of the skin, breast tumor and endocrine overactivity. Primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease is ...

LIGHT (lymphotoxin-like, exhibits inducible expression, and competes with herpes simplex virus glycoprotein D for herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM), a receptor expressed by T lymphocytes) is a ligand for HVEM. LIGHT-HVEM interactions are important in T helper type 1 (Th1) immune responses. In some cases with early stages of cutaneous T ...

Curcumin and resveratrol were evaluated for their potential to cause reversal of promoter hypermethylation and associated gene expression of FANCF in SiHa cell line. Methylation specific PCR along with bisulphite sequencing revealed the demethylation of 12 CpG sites out of 15 CpG sites spanning +280 to +432 region of FANCF ...

It has been reported that Stat5 is overexpressed in a variety of human cancer cell lines and primary tumors. Inhibition of Stat5 in tumor cell lines has been associated with growth suppression and induction of apoptosis. However, no one of published studies have investigated the expression and role of Stat5 in ...

The LysR-type transcription factor LeuO is involved in regulation of pathogenicity determinants and stress responses in Enterobacteriaceae, and acts as antagonist of the global repressor H-NS. Expression of the leuO gene is repressed by H-NS, and it is upregulated in stationary phase and under amino acid starvation conditions. Here, we ...

Hexokinase II (HKII), a key enzyme of glycolysis, is widely over-expressed in cancer cells. However, HKII levels and its roles in ATP production and ATP-dependent cellular process have not been well studied in hematopoietic malignant cells including multiple myeloma (MM) cells. We demonstrate herein that HKII is constitutively over-expressed in ...

Surgical intervention for congenital heart disease (CHD) can be complicated by pulmonary hypertension (PH), which increases morbidity, mortality, and medical burden. Consequently, postoperative management of PH is an important clinical consideration to improve outcomes. Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is a widely accepted standard of care for PH and has been ...

Screening for individual diabetes risk is crucial to identify adult and pediatric high-risk target populations for referral into successful diabetes prevention programs. Determination of impaired glucose tolerance or elevated fasting glucose levels has been the "gold standard" to classify subjects at increased risk for and/or to diagnose type 2 diabetes ...

Triclosan, an antibacterial and antifungal agent, is widely used in household and personal care products, processed foods and food packaging, etc., and thus also released into the environment. Triclosan is acutely and chronically toxic to aquatic organisms and bioaccumulates in fish tissue. Here, we propose a new miniaturized triclosan extraction ...

Photoassimilated carbons are converted to sucrose in green plant leaves and distributed to non-phototropic tissues to provide carbon and energy. In photosynthetic sucrose biosynthesis, the chloroplast envelope triose phosphate/phosphate translocator (TPT) and cytosolic fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (cFBPase) are key components in photosynthetic sucrose biosynthesis. The simultaneous overexpression of TPT and cFBPase was ...

A label-free electrochemical biosensor for detecting DNA hybridisation was developed by monitoring the change in the voltammetric activity of ferrocenecarboxylic acid at the biosensor-solution interface. The biosensor was constructed by initially immobilising on a glassy carbon electrode an anchoring layer consisting of chitosan, carboxyl group functionalised carbon nanofibres and glutaraldehye. ...

The mechanisms that ultimately regulate the diversity of microbial eukaryotic communities in bryophyte ecosystems remain a contentious topic in microbial ecology. Although there is robust consensus that abiotic factors, such as water chemistry of the bryophyte and pH, explain a significant proportion of protist and microcrustacean diversity, there is no ...

The common wheat cultivar Parula possesses a high level of slow rusting, adult plant resistance (APR) to all three rust diseases of wheat. Previous mapping studies using an Avocet-YrA/Parula recombinant inbred line (RIL) population showed that APR to leaf rust (Puccinia triticina) in Parula is governed by at least three ...

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and their antagonists have roles in scar formation and regeneration after central nervous system injuries. However, temporal changes in their expression during astroglial scar formation in the ischemic brain are unknown. Here, we examined protein levels of BMP2, BMP7, and their antagonist noggin in the ischemic ...

A non-aqueous solid phase extraction (SPE) method utilizing silica based strong cation exchange (SCX) was developed and optimized for the enrichment of alkaloids. In this method, silica based SCX SPE columns were used for the elimination of non-alkaloid compounds and the preconcentration of alkaloids from the extracts. Mass spectrometry was ...

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by a triad of chorea, psychiatric disturbance and cognitive decline. Around 1% of patients with HD-like symptoms lack the causative HD expansion and are considered HD phenocopies. Genetic diseases that can present as HD phenocopies include HD-like syndromes such as HDL1, ...

The record of Gondwanan Mesozoic lizards is very poor. Among the few species described for this region there is Tijubina pontei, an Early Cretaceous lizard from the Crato Formation (late Aptian) of northeast Brazil. Its description is very brief and lacks most of its diagnostic characters and clear delimitation from ...

There is a need to better define phenotypes of asthma. However, many studies have data available only on asthma and atopy, so they are often used to define 'atopic' and 'non-atopic' asthma. We discuss and illustrate the problems of analyzing such outcomes. We used the 31 year follow-up of the Northern ...

PURPOSE: Acute cardiovascular events have repeatedly been reported to occur during the intraoperative presentation of the urinary tract with toluidine blue (TB). We here assessed the minimum TB dose required, and its safest and most suitable form of intravenous administration for the intraoperative staining of the ureters in rats. METHODS: ...